


When in Prague

by Kaunis_Sielu



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-12 01:55:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12948801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaunis_Sielu/pseuds/Kaunis_Sielu





	1. Chapter 1

You can’t believe you’re finally here.  
Prague. The city of a hundred spires and the place where your parents met. Your mom had been a grad student and your dad an exchange student when they met at Charles University.  
But unlike your parents you don’t speak fluent Czech Language so you’re hoping that the little bit you do know is going to be enough. You’ve hit a few museums and wandered the city a bit but once you got hungry you knew exactly where to go. Old Town Square. Relatively untouched for decades this is the place to go for food, music and architecture. Not to mention the clock show every hour. If you hurried you might be able to see it before you ate. Making your way toward the Old Town Square you glance down at the watch on your wrist as you round the corner. You slam into someone. They hardly seem to move but you go tumbling backward with a surprised squeak. His reflexes are lightening fast, you can’t believe that you don’t hit the ground but that’s how quickly he’s able to catch you. His hand is wrapped around your wrist and he’s looking down at you asking you something in Czech language.  
“I’m-I’m sorry I don’t speak much Czech.” You tell him and you see the surprise light his face.  
“I can do English.” He says perfectly and it’s your turn to be surprised. “Where are you from?”  
“The States. New Hampshire.” You tell him, “What about you?”  
“Brooklyn.” He smiles, “My name is James but my friends call me Bucky.” You shake the hand he’s offered and introduce yourself. You glance down at your watch and swear softly. “What’s wrong?”  
“Well I really wanted to see the clock in Old Times Square before eating but I’m not going to make it.”  
“I know a shortcut.”  
“Wait really?”  
“Yea. I can show you.” He offers. Usually you’re all about that stranger danger but something about him is familiar. Comforting. He makes you feel safe. You nod and he takes your hand and pulls you through the streets until you’re so lost that finding your way back is impossible. “Just around this next corner.” He assures you and sure enough when the two of you round the corner you feel like you’ve been transported back a few hundred years.  
“Wow.” You breathe and Bucky glances back at you with a laugh.  
“Come on. I want you to see this from the best viewpoint.” He tugs you through the small crowd and you follow him without hesitation. He releases your hand then stands behind you, taking your shoulders in his hands he positions you so you’ve got the best view. Sure enough, as the clock strikes the hour the skeleton who represents death turns the hourglass in his hand. The 12 apostles file past the open windows and it’s beautiful.  
“Thank you Bucky.”  
“No problem.” He gives you a cheeky grin. “See ya around doll.” He says with a wink.  
“See you around Bucky.”


	2. Chapter 2

You’re so lost. Oh holy shit you’re lost. You don’t know how the hell you got so lost. You’d gotten turned around somewhere in the last hour and now that it was getting dark you were screwed.   
Your phone is dead, the streets are eerily empty except for the few that seem to be skulking around. You’ve been successful at dodging their attention, keeping your head down, moving quickly but of course your luck had to run out sooner or later.   
“Ay!” One guy yells then he yells something else in Czech Language you don’t know what he’s saying but you can assume by his tone of voice that you wouldn’t like it.   
“Oh come on sexy. We just want to help you.” Another says as they come closer to you. They’re moving fast and there are four of them, and you’re at least half a foot shorter than the shortest one.   
“I’m good thanks.” You tell them not making eye contact.   
“American bitch.” One snarls and the other two cut you off.   
“Yea I am, now get out of my way.” You snap and the first guy chuckles and says something to his friends in a tone of voice that makes your skin crawl.   
One of them grabs your arm and instead of just screaming for help you use your free arm to punch him in the gut. When he doubles over you knee him in the face. “Pomoc!” You scream for help, “Pomoc!”  
“No one in this area is going to help you little girl.” The one who called you an American bitch says with a smirk. His friends have you under control now, not that you’re just standing there. You’re still struggling even as terror grips your heart.   
“Někdo prosím pomozte mi!” You cry as he stalks closer. Begging someone to help you.   
“They make them so pretty in America.” He taunts closing a hand around your neck and forcing your jaw up.   
“Nechte ji jít předtím, než odtáhnu ruku.” A voice growls from behind him and when he turns you catch a glimpse of Bucky. You’re pretty sure he said something about ripping arms off. Judging by the cold look on his face you don’t doubt him.   
“Ty a jakou armádu?” The one holding your right arm says, you catch the words you and what but you don’t know armádu. Army maybe?   
“Nepotřebuji jednu.” Bucky snarls before he grabs one and throws him practically halfway down the street. He’s right, he doesn’t need an army. You hear a mechanical whirring sound as he dodges a blow from one of the men who he lays out with a single punch. The other two jump him at the same time but it hardly makes a difference, they join their unconscious friend on the ground. The man he threw fires at him but Bucky just pulls his arm up over his head as he yanks you to him blocking the two of you with his left arm. The other man runs out of bullets and Bucky drops his arm and glares at the man, who without second thought turns and sprints away. “Are you okay?” He asks. His voice tender, kind again. You can hardly believe he’s the same man from ten seconds ago.   
“I-I’m a little shaken but I’ll be fine. Why aren’t we dead? What’s going on? Where did you come from?”  
“I’ll answer all of your questions doll but we need to get out of here before they wake up or their friend comes back with more friends.” He weaves his fingers through yours and leads you away from the scene. He brings you to a building and after ushering you into a small apartment pulls off his glove. Underneath is a metal hand.


	3. Chapter 3

Bucky shuts the door and locks it. “What were you doing in this part of town?”  
“I was lost.” You admit softly as you wrap your arms around your torso. His apartment is pretty bare, there’s a table and a couple chairs, the countertops are bare and the fridge is so old you’re sure it’s closer to your age than it is new. There’s no couch, no other room for that matter and the mattress is on the floor.   
“I’m still moving in.” He says with a glance around the room.   
“Thank you.”   
“What?”  
“I don’t know how you heard me from here, but I’m glad you did. Thank you.”  
“I had my window open.” He says but you’re not quite sure you believe him.   
“Bucky?” He looks over at you. “Are you the Winter Solider?” You ask softly, his brow furrows but he doesn’t say anything. “I don’t care if you are. You saved me tonight.” You cross the small room to his side then raise up on your toes to press a kiss to his cheek. He doesn’t move, just closes his eyes when your lips press to his cheek.   
“You don’t care?”  
“No. Should I?”  
“Most people do.” He says with a shrug but you see the hurt flit across his face.   
“Bucky, you’ve been nothing but kind to me. You’ve taken time out of your day to bring me to the clock, you saved my life, I feel safe around you. I don’t care who you used to be.” His fingers wrap around your wrist and you look down at the cool metal.   
“Thank you. Where are you staying?”  
“K and K in Central Prague.”   
“Do you have the address?”  
“Sort of. My phone died and I was using it to get back, it’s on Hybernská.”   
“I’m actually kind of amazed you ended up over here.” He gives you a lopsided smile. “You’re almost on the other side of town.”  
“Oh my god.” You groan and he chuckles softly. You shake your head and bite back a yawn, it’s got to be close to four am. “How long will it take us to get there?”  
“About an hour.”  
“Oh my god.” You repeat. You’re on the verge of tears here, you’ve just been through a traumatic experience and now you’re just, exhausted.   
“You can stay here if you want. It’s not the most comfortable but it’s safe.” You look at him hesitantly and he holds a hand out to you. You take it and he leads you over to the little mattress on the floor. “I know it’s not as nice as K and K but you won’t have to go anywhere until after you’ve gotten some rest.”  
“I’ll sleep on the floor.” He answers your unasked question.   
“I couldn’t do that to you.”  
“Doll-”  
“Bucky.” You stare at one another for a second before you drop down onto the mattress. Before he can move you wrap a hand around his wrist and you tug him down into the mattress next to you.   
“Are you sure?” He asks quietly and when you wrap your arms around his neck he wraps an arm around your waist and lays the two of you down. He pulls the blanket over you both and you’re asleep in what feels like a second.


	4. Chapter 4

“Am I ever going to see you again?” You ask quietly. Bucky’s brought you back to your hotel. You’d slept peacefully through the early morning hours and well into the day. It’s nearly three pm when you got there, after a fantastic brunch at a little cafe you’re not exactly ready to say goodbye.   
“I don’t know doll.” He says running a hand through his hair. “It’s not exactly safe for me out there right now. I’m a wanted man in almost every country in the world.” He tilts his head with a little smirk on his face, “Unless you want to move to Russia, or one of the poles.”   
“I’m not a huge fan of the freezing cold.” You admit and he laughs, “But I am becoming more fond of the winter.” You smile up at him and he laughs.   
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, I know today is your last day here so how about I take you out for a nice dinner then I can bring you to the airport.”  
“I’d like that very much.” You tell him with another smile. You hold out your hand for his and you’re pleased when he takes it. “Come on up. I need a shower and to pack. You can take a warm shower too while I pack.”  
“That sounds good to me.” He says as you lead him to your room. You’re not in the room for long, you’ve got to be out before five and you don’t want to be in the hotel room for your last few hours in Prague.   
Dinner with Bucky is nice, he takes you to another small place, it’s a quiet dinner and you don’t miss that he keeps his glove on. You’re not ready to leave him.   
“Bucky?”  
“Yea doll?” He asks weaving his fingers through yours while the two of you walk toward the airport. You won’t be able to walk the whole way there but you’ll take as much time with him alone as you can.   
“When you’re cleared will you come see me in the States?”  
“Of course. Does this mean I get your number?” He flirts and you laugh.   
“And my address.” He feigns shock and you give him a little shove.   
“We should take a cab from here.”  
“You don’t have to deliver me to the airport.” As stupid as it may seem you know you’re going to cry when you leave him.   
“Doll I’m afraid if I leave you you’ll end up in more trouble.” He teases and you scowl at him for a second. The cab ride is quiet. You lean against him as you watch out the window as the city zips by. He keeps your hand in his until the last second. “I’ll stay in touch doll.” He promises patting the front pocket of his jacket where the paper with your address and phone number is.   
“You better Mr. Barnes.”  
“I will.”  
“I’ll miss you Bucky.”  
“I’m gonna miss you too doll. If anyone asks we never met okay?”  
“Of course.” You glance at the time and sigh sadly, you’ve got to go. Taking his face in your hands you kiss him gently, his lips soft against yours. When you pull away he rests his forehead against yours. You keep your eyes closed as his breath slides across your skin.   
“Stay safe doll.” He whispers.   
“You too Bucky.” You whisper back before pulling away from him and heading through security. You don’t look back. You can’t. You’re hardly holding it together as it is and if you look back at him you’re afraid you’ll never leave.   
You could completely fall in love with the Winter Solider if you let yourself.   
You’ll see him again. You can feel it in your bones.   
It’ll be spring soon enough.


End file.
